Tale of Two Bobcat Packs....The Final FL. Chapter

[Dads dogboy]

Part Six....

We left you all Sunday Morning after a good Saturday night.

We struck out Sunday night striking two Cold, Cold tracks that Hounds could not trail! We hunted All night coming in after 10 Monday morning & Rigging over 100 miles!

Bobcats could not figure out when they were going to feed, morning or night. Usually Dad says they will feed primarily one or the other for about two weeks then switch. The month of May has been tough here as one night it is one the next the other!

Monday night I was lazy, we did not leave Camp till almost 9PM. We went South and put Hounds up about 10PM. Dad was frustrated with me being late to go, but by now I am knocked out. (We have hunted some of every 24hr period in the month of May but 1)

At 10:30 we struck the 1st Cat. We just had the 7 young Hounds and Penny again, trying to put the finish on the Young Hounds and have the Pups well started before heading back to AR. Dad is fortunate to have 8 finnished Cat Hounds so he splits them up and only hunts 4 at a time with the young Hounds. Still this does not give the youngsters the oppertunity to learn, succede, or fail that just taking One old Hound does.

This first Cat had fed up a sandy road about 3/4 mile before turning out. The Young Hounds were trailing well, Pups helping some, track improving. This lasted for about 40 min. when Rivers (2yr) swung out and jumped the Cat out of his bed. This Race did not sound like the "Opry".It sounded like a Heavy Metal Rock concert. Every Hound barking twice when his foot hit the ground. Dad said this could not last, and he was right! 20 min. and this Cat looked to "Elevate" his station in Life. Fast, Furious,Close and Loud! Just not long enough!

Cooled Hounds off, let them drink plenty of h2o, and put Rig dogs back up! Went into a new Club on a new road and Struck hot! Put down Rig Dogs, thought they had him off road and put out rest of the Hounds. Cat came back to the road and went 1.8 miles down the road. Some Hounds came back down the road looking for him, but Chocktaw and Rivers went on down the road and hit him off. I told Dad they had the Cat as the Garmin showed them making circles. He said "I Can't Hear EM" they don't have the Cat. I said they are 1.4 miles from us, I don't think you can hear that far even with your new hearing aids. We loaded the others and went to Rivers and Chock. We we got there they were 300 yds South of the road running the _____ out of the Cat. I tailgaited the rest and let the Music Play.

Up and down a SMZ ole Shorttail played his tricks. In and out of the h2o he went, never a check over 30 sec. He almost crossed the road then double back through the Hounds. It just could not get any better. 45 min. of Cat Hunter Heaven, when he came back to the road right where we were sitting. Into the road the Hounds came, but we had not seen the Cat. This happens all the time, you think you are looking but the Cat is so quick you miss him. Hounds looked on both sides of the road but could not find him, Dad had about decided he was up. I walke up the road and there was a Culvert under the road, yep when I looked in it there he was. The Cat was Hot, Hot, Hot panting, plumb pooped! I hollared to Dad to bring the truck and we loaded the Hounds and left the Cat to run again!

Two good Races! This would be enough for most! Dad ain't most! We cooled the Hounds and he said to Rig them as we headed home. not a mile up the road another good strike.Short trailing race, then jumped. this race the Hounds were in a Block we could not get into and the hearing was not as good. We just could not get as close for the first part. Finally the Pack brought the Cat up a SMZ towards a Camp and we could get close, but Camp Dogs went to barking. Ole Well! We listened as good as we could. The Pack was burning him up with few checks, when the woods went silent! Rivers will do everything at a Tree but bark, and that is what the Garmin was showing. 35 min. of good race and then up. Now we could go Home!

Tuesday and Wednesday we had a couple of cold stikes early in the night but nothing else and we hunted to after daylight. Dad decided we would not hunt Thursday night but get up early Friday morning and go. We did, struck and were trailing when the truck decided to quit us. We were lucky as the Hounds trailed out right down the road from were the truck quit. We blew them in and called help to come get us.

Truck problem turned out to be minor. Dad was drooping as we have to pack Saturday and he had wanted to have one last hunt. I told him we would make a short round Fridy night and he perked right up. About dark I loaded Rita, and the 7 youngsters.

We went South and had not gone far when the Box exploded. Rivers got credit for the strike but every Hound inside and out were barking. We put em dawn, and Brandy (1yr) found were he went down a side road and "The Race " was on! for the next 1:45 min. back and forth across the road 10 times the "Opry" played and played and played! The ditches on either side of the road were a veritable jungle with Bamboo Briars, Berry Briars, Honeysuckle and log piles just across he ditch! The humidity was murder, the temp in the low 80's, it was tough running for the Hounds. We caught Rita as she crossed the road after about 30 min. as she was getting too hot. that left the youngsters to play it out. And PLAY they did, no trick that this young Tomcat pulled worked. He knew them all, cross the road, double back into the pack, in the h2o, even through a culvert under the road. Nothing stopped the Music for more than a min.

The Cat almost knocked Dad down one time as he crossed the road, coming within two feet of him. The last time he crossed he was reeling as bad as the Hounds, Dad said to blow the truck horn and stop them. I did and hopefully the Cat will be there to do it again.

So endeth the Tale of Two Bobcat Packs........

When the Bobcats walked and Scenting conditions were decent Luck and Running good! Scenting conditions Bad or midday feeding long nights & Short Tempers! Same Hounds different results!

Good Running to All!

Hope you enjoyed the Stories as much as We did getting them!

C. John Clay
Dads Dogboy

[Waterway]

I have sure enjoyed your posts! What a great time to spend with your dad.

Mel

[david]

Thanks for taking the time to tell the stories. It was the next best thing to being there.

[Buddyw]

Finally got some time to sit back and read them.. good stuff..

[david]

I have sure enjoyed your posts! What a great time to spend with your dad.
Mel

Actually, that was something I wanted to say also, What a great time for us to spend with your dad! I hope you thank him also for us.

Maybe things are different in the South than they were where I learned to bobcat hunt. People were so secretive about everything it was almost impossible for a young outsider to learn what was going on and what had been done in the past. This was 30 years ago, so either times have changed, or the region has a different culture, or you and your dad are just extra generous with sharing about what goes on with a full fledged bobcat culture. I am very thankful that he is open to having this stuff on the internet. It is a bright day. Thanks again